It's a potentially restful week. This time between Christmas and New Year’s isn’t jam packed with busy to-dos, at least generally. Some people find it a great time to write. Others take the time off to spend with family. What do you do?

Rest is necessary for coming up with new stories, fresh prose. Rest precedes inspiration a lot of times. Have you noticed that? And spiritual rest the same. I think that may be one of the reasons God commanded a Sabbath. He knew how badly we would need refreshing. For writers, He knew our creativity would need refreshing and that happens best with rest.

Do you have a hard time giving yourself permission to rest? I do sometimes. There is always a long to-do list and not just here in my office. ;) But giving ourselves a rest, obeying this command, is key to thriving.

Lately I’ve noticed eye strain. I thought I might need glasses so I bought readers. But though I can read through them, they make me pretty dizzy. So, I went to the eye doctor. He said I don’t need readers. My eyes are just strained after spending multiple hours at the computer and/or reading. Hmm… what’s to be done for that? Reading is a central element of my work (from writing to editing, how would I do that without reading?). So, what can be done? In a word: Rest.

I encourage you to rest at some point this holiday season. Take advantage of the less hurried pace. Relax and truly let yourself be refreshed. Spend extra time in prayer. It’s a great time of year to review the blessings and lessons of the previous year and receive guidance for the upcoming year. I asked Him, and God gave me a specific verse for 2012 for my own journey. He also gave me a word—a sort of focus word for the year ahead. He’ll do the same for you.

Writing to spec – you’ve heard the term. It means writing what the publisher wants. Can you do it? In our new feature - Make-A-Story™, we ask you to create a story with these elements. The story can be set in any time frame, any length, must adhere to our guidelines and have our standard Christian world view.

With Thanksgiving being late this year, the Christmas season kinda just snuck up on me. Is the same is true for you? The calendar says "Advent" is here, yet up until this past week, I was feeling far from prepared -- in my heart or otherwise. That is until we put up our tree two weeks ago.

As soon as the lights were plugged in, it was like a switch in my heart was turned on as well. This year as never before, the physical acts of preparing for Christmas this week... baking cookies with my children, writing the cards, singing carols... they have all been very special and real reminders of the importance of preparing my heart.

Likewise, I'd like to encourage you to take joy in every little thing that you do over these last few days leading up to Christmas. Whether it's filling stockings, visiting family and friends, listening (or perhaps singing) in a Christmas program, driving by pretty lights, whatever... I hope like me, you'll be able to see these physical reminders in a new "light." May we not merely see them as another thing to check off our lists, but as a means to prepare ourselves for celebrating the greatest gift ever given, Jesus Christ.

My hope for you this year is that you will experience an extraordinary Breath of Heaven as you prepare your home and your heart this Christmas season.

We're still on the subject of comma placement. Here are five more rules to help you self-edit your manuscript into publication:

Comma Rule #11: When composite adjectives are used, a comma is not necessary as each of the adjectives modify each other. However, when coordinate adjectives that modify the noun are used, a comma should be placed between the adjectives.

Example: The murky green waters of the bayou were not enough to prevent the hungry, lurking, predatory gator from searching for a tasty meal.

In the above example, murky describes the green and green describes the waters, while hungry, lurking, and predatory all describe the gator.

Comma Rule #12: When setting out examples introduced by such as or especially, a comma is used.

Example: I love specialty candies, such as truffles and key lime fudge.

Comma Rule #13: Use a comma when a word or a part of a sentence is omitted.

Example: Some classmates I met at my last reunion were successful; some, more so.

Comma Rule #14: When adjectives follow the noun they describe, they are set off with commas.

Example: The picnic table, scarred by the etching of teenage lovers, sits as it has always done beside the concession stand.

Comma Rule #15: When a statement is followed by a confirmatory question, the question is set off from the sentence with a comma.

Writing to spec – you’ve heard the term. It means writing what the publisher wants. Can you do it? In our new feature - Make-A-Story™, we ask you to create a story with these elements. The story can be set in any time frame, any length, must adhere to our guidelines and have our standard Christian world view.

Yesterday, like many other churches in the UK and probably across the world, we had our carol services. The morning was an all age service with the children taking part and the evening a traditional carol service with readings and a wonderful mix of old and new carols, to both organ and band.

Although a manger isn't where you'd want to lay a new born baby - my daughter has gone as far as parking her playmobil ambulance next to the nativity scene to whisk Mary to the hospital for the birth - it's the very place that the King was laid following his birth. A genuine King size bed.

The children's carol says Away in a manger, no crib for a bed. But Jesus is The Way in a manger. He came from the highest height to the lowest depths. Without the greatest gift of all, there would be no hope, no salvation.

Without Christ, there would be no Christmas. So in between wrapping presents, decorating the tree, singing carols, just take a moment to worship the One who made this possible. Who gave us the forgiveness we don't deserve. And showed us the true meaning of love.

My mother is, well, elderly, and we all worry about her getting out and about. My niece gave her a purse alarm, so if anyone tried to rob her, the sound would deter a would-be thief. The device hooks to your purse and the other end to your wrist. If the purse is jerked away, the two ends separate and a loud, obnoxious (make that very obnoxious) noise fills the air. Easy, right? (It is a great idea.)So, my mother and I went shopping. I was browsing through clothing and my mom was looking at a rack of clearance shoes, and I could still see her, no one was within ten feet of her tiny little form. I had just found a nice sweater when I heard an alarm. It was really loud, and I looked to the cash registers first, but the ladies there were craning their necks to find the source of the noise. Then it hit me...it had to be my mom’s purse alarm! I glanced her way, but she was still calming looking at shoes, and her oversized purse was still on her arm. But as more shoppers looked her way I realized it had to be her alarm.As I walked toward the shoes, the noise grew louder, yet she was still calmly perusing the shoes. The noise was deafening around her-the purse alarm. I smiled and waved to onlookers, assuring them we’d stop the alarm. Finally, she moved in close to me. “I didn’t have the alarm on my wrist, I was holding it. I forgot about it when I saw these shoes and I moved my purse from one arm to the other.” she whispered. “I dropped the other half of the alarm. It’s in one of these shoes.”It wasn’t attempted robbery, alarm malfunction...it was simply user error— to my great relief. But later, as I thought back, the incident reminding me of 1 Corinthians 13:1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. (or a purse alarm that won’t stop beeping because you dropped the other half of it in a shoe)The alarm wasn’t much good when you didn’t use it correctly. As I applied this to my life, I thought about how God gave us user instructions. The Bible. And how the Bible clearly states we need to first have love to properly function. And no matter what I do—write, edit, post a blog— for me to “work correctly” I must do whatever I do in love. I had gotten so wrapped up (no pun intended) in Christmas, I was so busy, I wasn’t following my instructions.And after the “Great Purse Alarm Incident of 2009” as I purchased the remainder of my gifts, made the ten dozen or so cookies, attended various functions, I was reminded by a simple purse alarm to remember the Reason for the Season, the Love God showed for us by sending His Son, Jesus.

Sometimes it is good to play a comma by ear: place one where there is a natural pause in narrative or dialogue. As with everything done to bring style to prose, overdoing it mutes the tone. Too much playing by ear gives the wrong impression, and not one an author would like an editor to have. What should be style becomes mundane or it may leave the impression that an author doesn't know why and where a comma should be placed. This is why learning the rules for comma placement is important.

Continuing on with the list of comma rules:

Comma Rule #6: When an expression or a conjunctive adverb is embedded within a sentence, they should be set off with commas.

Example: Mary and John, wouldn’t you know, ran off together to the writers’ conference. We should, therefore, be ready to learn all we can from them when they return.

Comma Rule #7: When a sentence is directed toward someone, that person, however addressed, is set off by commas:

Example: John, did you enjoy the conference. Where have you been, sweetheart?

Comma Rule #8: A comma follows exclamations as well as yes and no when starting a sentence.

Example: Oh, you didn’t? Yes, you did. Yikes, are you ever in trouble.

Comma Rule #9: Adverbs that introduce a sentence are followed by a comma.

Example: Obviously, you were oblivious to the trouble in which you found yourself.

Comma Rule #10: When writing out city and state, month, day,and year in a sentence, the second item is set off by commas.

Example: Drew was born in London, England, on October 9, 1979, but his family moved to New York on January 1, 1981.

Writing to spec – you’ve heard the term. It means writing what the publisher wants. Can you do it? In our new feature - Make-A-Story™, we ask you to create a story with these elements. The story can be set in any time frame, any length, must adhere to our guidelines and have our standard Christian world view.

Great dialog is hard to write. No one wants to read dull words, even if they echo true-to-life exchanges, like:

“Hello, Nancy.”

“Hi, Carol.”

“How are you?”

“I’m well, how are you?”

Cue reader: skim... So, the better approach hit me this morning while I brushed my teeth. (Inspiration hits at the funnies times, doesn't it?) It’s a great method that takes some practice, but works well if you, as the writer, can be objective. Ready?

Have you ever played Uno by yourself?

Our family of six used to sit around and play Uno when I was growing up. Such a fun, simple game. Of course, the older we got, the more strategies we learned. Sometimes, my sister and I would play alone, just the two of us. Our turn rolled around a lot faster and those “Skip” and “Reverse” cards meant something brand new: more turns!

But there were times when my siblings were busy. At those times, I’d play alone. I’ve done that with other card games too. Have you? You sit there, deal up two hands, pick up one and get the cards into place. Call this Player A. You choose the blue #7 and play it, strategizing what you’ll do next turn. You’ve got a plan. Player A is going to win!

Next, it’s Player B’s turn. You put down your handful of cards and pick up Player B’s stack. Order them. Plan your attack. And if you’re objective, you don’t concern yourself with what Player A is “holding.” You play to win. Then, Player B’s turn over, you grab for Player A’s hand and make specific choices given what Player A is holding.

Let’s apply this to dialog. When your characters are talking, especially if they’re arguing, get into each of their heads. Take turns, like with playing cards. Have a goal for each (“I want to win!”), a motivation (“Winning makes me feel good!”), and a plan (“This strategy will work.”). Act as if that character is the only winner in the conversation/argument. This speaker is ready to take on this conversation. Do the same with the other character.

Suddenly, your dialog comes alive with subtext (what the characters aren’t saying) and the characters’ strengths shine (no passive protags here). Readers will stay engaged in the pages of dialog, no risk of them skimming ahead.

Dialog should move the story along, provide reveals, engage readers. Don’t hold back. If the story calls for it, don't be afraid to let your characters argue. Make each “Player” play to win. Be in that character’s head fully while considering how they’d respond. Be as objective as possible.

Using this practice will help fire up your characters’ exchanges. Try it. And write on!

Every year-- for the past eighteen years-- I've gotten a Christmas bell from a local potter. They're all different. Each is unique and every year there's a new design on them. Sadly,last year the shelf with my bells was knocked off the wall. Only two of them cracked and that was a miracle. While my bells can be glued back together, so they look pretty, there's nothing I can do that will make them ring again.

As I pondered the accident, a thought grew. Each one of us is like a bell, with our own voice. Sometimes we might sit on a shelf, other times we ring clearly--and sometimes we might get damaged, perhaps we've "glued ourselves back together" so our damage isn't apparent. But we have more than glue. We have a Master Potter who can mold us and shape us. And if we get cracked and broken, we can ring again.

That is the beauty of inspirational fiction, we can tell the story of broken souls and how they're mended by the Potter's loving hands.

Commas are the musical notes of your manuscript. Some have mastered the melody by taking time to learn to read the music. Others simply play it by ear. Listening to the tune and playing it is fine if you have a sense of rhythm and can hear the notes being played. Take away that ability, and you’re simply banging on the keys. This is somewhat true for comma placement as well.

There are some comma rules that shouldn’t be broken. Doing so will make your prose sound tinny or not well crafted. Other times a misplaced comma might be the oomph your sentence needs to make it ring. Properly placed commas show mastery while too many commas placed wherever an author feels one should go, scream of unprofessionalism.

For the next few weeks, let’s talk commas. Learning a few each week and applying them to your manuscript or editing with an eye toward proper placement will help to re-enforce these rules.

Comma Rule 1: Two main ideas (or independent statements), which can stand alone and are connected by a coordinate conjunction, need a comma before the conjunction.

Example: John wanted to learn about commas, but Mary decided it was a waste of time.

When either sentence is a dependent clause (can’t stand alone), the comma is not utilized.

Example: John had wanted to learn about commas but decided it was a waste of time.

The word so when used alone is a coordinate conjunction, and when placed between two independent statements, it requires a comma. Add the word that and a comma is no longer necessary.

Comma Rule 2: When contrast is made in a sentence by the use of a pair of coordinates, a comma is not used.

Example: Neither Jane nor John wanted to take the time to learn the rules of comma placement.

Comma Rule 3: When lengthy introductory phrases (with grammatical names we will not go into now) are utilized before the introduction of the main idea, a comma is utilized to set off that phrase from the main idea. A short introductory phrase may also require a comma depending upon the clarity of the sentence.

Example: If I don’t master the rules of punctuation, how will I know when to break them?

Note: If the sentence is changed, and the introductory clause is moved to the end of the sentence, a comma is not utilized.

Example: How will I know when to break them if I don’t master the rules of punctuation?

Comma Rule 4: When a sentence has a series of three or more, a comma is utilized.

Mary bought a book on grammar, a tutorial on punctuation, and a DVD on writing with style.

Note that a comma is included before the word and. Also, care should be used when the sentence includes two words that naturally flow together.

Example: John decided he wanted food and purchased macaroni and cheese, pork and beans, and a chocolate brownie.

Comma Rule 5: A comma is used to separate information not necessary in understanding a sentence.

Example: Mary, a writer, loves grammar.

However, if the information is necessary to the sentence, the comma is not utilized.

Example: That man who never read a book knows more rules of grammar than John or Mary. [The who never read a book can be omitted, but the impact of the sentence would not be the same.]

In the same way, a word or group of words that adds meaning to the main idea but is not necessary, should be offset by commas.

Example: John, Mary’s friend, drove her to the bookstore.

Reword the sentence and a comma is not utilized.

Example: Mary’s friend John drove her to the bookstore.

However, if John is Mary’s only friend, you will want to utilize the commas around his name to distinguish him as such.

Writing to spec – you’ve heard the term. It means writing what the publisher wants. Can you do it? In our new feature - Make-A-Story™, we ask you to create a story with these elements. The story can be set in any time frame, any length, must adhere to our guidelines and have our standard Christian world view.

Tessa, the youngest Spencer sister--and the most impulsive--rushes into the Mount Ridge crisis center bent on saving her brother-in-law. She's ready to handle Brent's abductor, with or without help. What she's not ready to handle is the effect policeman, Colin Phillips, has on her. Romance is the last thing on Tessa's mind. She longs for the adventure and fast-pace of New York City, not being tied to Mount Ridge and a man who insists she shouldn't be so impetuous. After all "independent spirit" is what Tessa does best!

Colin transferred from the police force in Atlanta in order to find closure after the brutal murder of his younger sister. He wants a nice, safe future, not one filled with caring and worrying about another impulsive woman. His sister was naive and unpredictable, and while Colin is drawn to Tessa's spunk and vitality, her willingness to rush into danger scares him. No way could he cope with another devastating loss. His heart must remain closed where Tessa is concerned.

Tessa, the youngest Spencer sister--and the most impulsive--rushes into the Mount Ridge crisis center bent on saving her brother-in-law. She's ready to handle Brent's abductor, with or without help. What she's not ready to handle is the effect policeman, Colin Phillips, has on her. Romance is the last thing on Tessa's mind. She longs for the adventure and fast-pace of New York City, not being tied to Mount Ridge and a man who insists she shouldn't be so impetuous. After all "independent spirit" is what Tessa does best!

Colin transferred from the police force in Atlanta in order to find closure after the brutal murder of his younger sister. He wants a nice, safe future, not one filled with caring and worrying about another impulsive woman. His sister was naive and unpredictable, and while Colin is drawn to Tessa's spunk and vitality, her willingness to rush into danger scares him. No way could he cope with another devastating loss. His heart must remain closed where Tessa is concerned.

But God has His own plans--and His own way of changing hearts and cultivating love.